Improvement in bird-cages



UNITED 7 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. J. OOLBURN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. i

IMPRovEMENT IN BilRo-CAGES.

Specification forming part ofA Letters Patent No. 177,924, dated May 30, 1876; application filed Y Mayrlse. v Y

To all whom it may concern Be Vit'known thatl, GEORGE F. J. CoL- BURN, of the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bird-Cages; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists of constructing the body of a bird cage of reticulated material or perforated metal, or its equiva- Y- liar to bird-cages.

The body of my cage I attach to the bottom by means of a double-acting catch or fastening of peculiar construction, as hereinafter mentioned. l

It will be seen that my cage possesses valuable properties not possessed by cages in general use, constructed of open wire bars, or

the lower section only made of reticulated material, in combination with the rest of the body of the cage, made of open Wire, as the cage described in my patent of January 25, 1870, such construction having proved ineffectual to accomplish the purpose desired of protecting the bird and preventing the food from being thrown from the cage through the wire openings, which is only accomplished by the body being wholly made ot' reticulated material. My cage is susceptible of being made quite ornamental as well as useful.

Having described the nature of my invention, I will now proceed to its construction and operation.

I make the body ot' my cage of any suitable i reticulated material, forming the whole body .or outside covering, (shown 'at A,) or a section thereof, into the vdesired shape by weaving, 4

pressing, or otherwise, so that it will conform tothe diameter of a metal or other suit-able frame, constructed so as to give strength and `preserve its shape. I make this covering ot' a mesh andmaterial suitable to effect the desired purpose ot' protecting the bird from danI ger, and to confine the gravel and seed Within the cage, and admit free access ot' air and light; also, to allow the bird to be clearly seen.

InV many cases it may be desirable to vary the size of the mesh as to strength and closeness, to suit the habits and food of the bird confined; therefore I do not confine myself to I any particular-sized wire or other material forming the mesh or opening of the same, so long as it will answer my purpose.

The body or case thus formed, when of very tine mesh and material, I place upon and attach it to a suitably-constructed frame or support, as shown at B, to give to it the proper form and strength. When the body or case is made of coarser mesh and stronger material, such a frame or support Vmay be dispensed with, as thestrength and rigidity of the material will be sufficient to give proper strength and preserve the desired form without the frame.

The frame B may be made of wire or strips of metal soldered or clamped together in such a `manner as to present sufficient strength and given a form most desirable for the purpose, and so constructed as to allow it to be secured to the bottom of the cage by proper fasten` ings. This frame may be round, oval, square, or otherwise, to suit the peculiar conformation of cage desired. When necessary to use this frame B, Iattach the reticulated material to it by clamps, hoops, or soldering, as most desirable, (shown at b.)

At dierent points suitable openings, as

of the cage is formed by weavingI it intoone piece, or., Afor convenience, maybe made and put together in different sections, by clamping,

soldering, or bending.

'The body of my cage being constructed as above described, I attachit toa bottom, which is formed, inthe usual manner, of. wood. or metal, by means of a double-acting catch, (shown at E.) This catch is made of metal, by bending, punching, or casting, and of such a form as to have two parts. the body and` bottom are brought together,

' acts as a catch to rlnly hold thetviro-portions:4

imposition. The part c acts as a lever-to throw the part a forward over the lower rim,

of the body-frame, causingit to lock the parts together. the catch in unlocking it. This catchiis attached to a pintle, e, on--which it moves. The;

pintle is fastenedl to I the bottom.

l use for my cagel a perch, F, havingabu'tv ton or its equivalent attached to one end, (letter f,) and the other end squared, or-so formed;

Vas to lit-asocket on the inside of va similar `button, g. These buttons are so-constrncted as not only-to hold and support the perch, but to prevent it turning on "its axis, andgalsov to,L y

close thc orifice through which the perch;

passes'in the covering yor body ofthe cage. v

The part a, when The projection d is Aforvoperatingv These buttons maybe' attached to the cagelor perch 1 by clamps. orotherwise, as desirable. This method `ofisupporting-aperch vis applicable to all cages in use. Instead of attaching -the perch in the usual manner, (slitting the end to make it'hold to the wires,) the buttons can be clampedorotherwisefixed tothe wires so that the perch can be held in any position required.

Havingthus described the nature and con- Y -;gularvsock et,i and abattoir, j', asdescribed.

In'ftestimony that I.. claimfl thetforegoing as myown I hereby-affixmy. signature1-in-presence` of.` two witnesses-.4.

GEORGEEJJ. GOLBURN. Witnesses:

G; B. ToWLEs, W. BURRIS. 

